Social Services: Coronavirus

(asked on 9th March 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Public Health England guidance COVID-19: Guidance for maintaining services within health and care settings: Infection prevention and control recommendations, published on 21 January, applies to adult social care in England; and if not, why not.


Answered by
Lord Bethell Portrait
Lord Bethell
This question was answered on 22nd March 2021

The infection prevention and control (IPC) principles within the current guidance apply to healthcare staff in all healthcare settings, but do not apply to adult social care settings in England. The relevant guidance for workers in adult social care is the ‘How to Work Safely’ guidance documents, which must be followed to minimise the risk of transmission.

The evidence base and core principles informing the IPC guidance are the same as those that inform the 'How to Work Safely’ guidance for adult social care. The difference being in the implementation stage, where the many distinct adult social care settings require balanced risk assessments to be undertaken.

Copies of the guidances Personal protective equipment (PPE) – resource for care workers delivering homecare (domiciliary care) during sustained COVID-19 transmission in the UK and Personal protective equipment (PPE) – resource for care workers working in care homes during sustained COVID-19 transmission in England are attached.

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